A boy wades through the marsh with the Philippine flag in hand in Sitio Pedtad, Barangay Midpandacan in General SK Pendatun town in Maguindanao on June 13. While residents in neighboring villages fled to safer grounds, most residents here have opted to stay on in this area which also serves as jump-off for troops entering the area of operations against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. MindaNews photo by FERDINANDH B. CABRERA